By Our Correspondent: A police constable was martyred and four people, including two police personnel and two passersby, were seriously injured when armed suspects opened fire at a police checkpoint on Joint Road in Quetta, police said.
The shooting took place within the jurisdiction of Satellite Town Police Station when police personnel signalled a suspicious vehicle to stop during routine checking. Instead of stopping, the occupants allegedly opened fire on the police party and fled the scene.
Police Constable Nauman was killed in the attack, while Constables Junaid and Khalid sustained serious injuries. Two passersby, identified as Ata Muhammad and Haris, were also wounded in the firing.
Police and rescue teams reached the scene shortly after the incident and shifted the deceased constable and all four injured people to Civil Hospital Quetta and the Trauma Centre for medical treatment.
According to the police spokesperson, Constable Khalid is in critical condition and is receiving treatment in the operation theatre.
Following the attack, a heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area and established security blockades to track down the suspects.
In a statement issued through Quetta Deputy Inspector General of Police spokesperson Shahbaz Iqbal, police said the attackers had escaped and that search operations and raids were being carried out at different locations to arrest those involved.
No arrests had been reported in the initial account of the incident.
The attack highlights continuing security concerns for police personnel and civilians in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan.
